2019 Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon men's winner Amos Kurgat (Chudenko) and last year's women's champ Dolphine Omare (U.S.E.) were back on top with repeat wins this time. Despite a good field with four sub-60 runners the men's race went out too slow for Kurgat's liking. Within the first 5 km he was away, leading by 6 seconds at 5 km and never looking back as he won by over a minute in 1:00:20. The pack behind him came down to a five-way sprint finish, with past Marugame Half winner Paul Kuira (JR Higashi Nihon) turning in one of his better runs in years with a 1:01:37 for 2nd. Former Soka University top man Philip Mulwa (GMO) was 3rd in 1:01:38 in his corporate league debut, with top Japanese man Kiyoshi Koga (Yasukawa Denki) 4th in 1:01:40.
Omare led start to finish in the women's race, initially with company from the debuting Hellen Ekarare (Toyota Jidoshokki) and Ethiopian great Tirunesh Dibaba through 5 km in 16:06 but soon leaving both behind. Omare came up short of her goal of bettering her 1:07:56 PB, but she got close with a 1:08:18 for the win by over a minute and a half. Ekarare was 2nd in 1:09:53, just holding off Dibaba by 4 seconds. Dibaba's last 6 km was maybe the most surprising thing in the race, having dropped 35 seconds behind Ekarare and being run down by the chase group by 15 km but rallying for 3rd in 1:09:57. Canadian Malindi Elmore was the top finisher from the chase group at 4th in 1:10:11, a PB at age 43. Both Dibaba and Elmore ran in the 2004 Athens Olympics 19 years ago, Dibaba in the 5000 m and Elmore in the 1500 m, an impressive testament to their longevity and dedication.
Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon
Gifu, 23 Apr. 2023
Women
1. Dolphine Omare (U.S.E.) - 1:08:18
2. Hellen Ekarare (Toyota Jidoshokki) - 1:09:53 - debut
3. Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia) - 1:09:57
4. Malindi Elmore (Canada) - 1:10:11 - PB
5. Isobel Batt-Doyle (Australia) - 1:10:16
6. Reia Iwade (Denso) - 1:10:23
7. Rose Davies (Australia) - 1:10:53 - PB
8. Genevieve Gregson (Australia) - 1:11:57 - debut
9. Nanami Aoki (Iwatani Sangyo) - 1:14:14
10. Seika Ogata (Uniqlo) - 1:14:30
Men
1. Amos Kurgat (Chudenko) - 1:00:20
2. Paul Kuira (JR Higashi Nihon) - 1:01:37
3. Philip Mulwa (GMO) - 1:01:38 - debut
4. Kiyoshi Koga (Yasukawa Denki) - 1:01:40
5. Simon Saidimu (Chuo Hatsujo) - 1:01:43 - PB
6. Joseph Karanja (Aichi Seiko) - 1:01:47
7. Tetsuya Yoroizaka (Asahi Kasei) - 1:01:58
8. Macharia Ndirangu (Aichi Seiko) - 1:02:40
9. Joel Mwaura (Kurosaki Harima) - 1:03:09
10. Vincent Raimoi (Suzuki) - 1:03:09
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